Dutch three of the Worst

I will never say Boulharouz played bad, especially against Portugal. Although it was a bit risky, it’s the refs/the Portuguese fault if he got sent off in my mind.

Van Bommel, well, can’t make much a case of that, as I’ve never had too great expectations when he’s in Orange (the Dutch colours, not Barca’s 06/07 away kit, which happens to be a darker orange).

Van the Man… This guy has had one horrific WC career. Missed the 02 from injury. Now what is considered most likely his prime state, and yet, only one goal. A prolific goal-scorer for his Club, and yet could only put in one for his home nation. Quite the contradiction for professionals that play outside of their country, as they seem to take their national games (understandably) more to heart. This applies here because Van is a special case. All this pressure on him. He relieved a lot of it by scoring one goal. But then again, MvB wants more that one goal from him, understandably. I would too. But alas, he was definitely not in his correct mental state on that day against Portugal, some of it from the row between MvB and Van, and so MvB didn’t play him.

I won’t go into this really… Mike said it well. I do hope they won’t take too long to finalize the list of 32 worst referees of this WC. Or the Worst FIFA chairman of all time. Or the ten biggest divers? The 18 penalties that weren’t really penalties…

Posted from  Australia

I saw all 3 game and I can’t say that I agree with the assessments. Van Bommel wasn’t great but I didn’t see to many horrible mess ups either. Khalid was solid each time he was sent in – think the ref was flat out bad in the end. And Van N – well that’s what’s starting to worry me about Van Baasten.

I think he might be too rigid in his thinking. In general, great coaches seem to have this ability to look at what they got and then figure out a system to make that talent work best. Even total football was built on the foundation of the skills of all of the 11 players on the field.

The coaches who don’t do so well, seem to have some vision in mind that they want all their players to fit, whether or not they can.

And with the 4-3-3 set up, it just didn’t appear that the Dutch players really fit that system best. For example, Schnijder and Van de Vaart didn’t appear to be feeding Van N, the wings didn’t appear to be crossing it in. Other than that great goal in the first game, Van Persie and Robben didn’t appear to be getting pass their man and then getting it to the other, etc.

And as a national coach this can be particularly difficult because the club coaches get to mould their players 85% of the time, you get them about 15%. You just can’t change them radically.

I’m hoping that Van Baasten will learn, in the same way Rijkaard clearly has. Because Van Bommel certainly hasn’t sucked for Rijkaard has he?

Oranje has great potential, but national teams are always difficult. Which of course is all irrelevant when the ref is horrible.

Posted from  United States

Come on, Boulahrouz was absolute perfection against Argentina. No one in the tournament played defense against the argies like that. “The Cannibal” did what he had to do against “The Diver” Ronaldo. If he would not have done it, then someone else would have dropped that high stepping twat sooner or later. Boula belongs in Holland and he is here to stay!!!

Posted from  United States

It’s quite fair to see Lampard, ronaldinho and Andriano alongwith the list. Biggest under achievers in WC were Brasil, Netherlands and Spain. Still Spain seek some sympathy dispite early exit.
Bula do have pitbull like attitude, although he is solid.
Humberg also suffer from him at some critical matches. Bommel, Vaart and VNS were so unlucky to be in the hands of a coach who do not know his men and his enemy very well either.

Posted from  Myanmar